Indian Brown Ale (Dogfish Head)

Pours far darker than expected, less like the Newcastle Brown I was expecting and more like a dark porter. The smell is divine, like melted chocolate and a sweet but potent after dinner liquor.

Slightly dry malt to start, that very quickly builds into perpetual sweetness. Powerful chocolate notes assert their dominance in the malt, melting into the tongue like a rich pudding. Slight hints of coffee poke through without taking anything away from the big brown sugar sweetness. This rich boozey pudding of a beer slides to the finish where fine hops twine themselves into the flavours, adding fresh depth to the beer, but without too much in the way of sharp bittering, just mellow lingering dry hopping.

Reminds me very much of Flying Dog Gonzo Porter

8/10 Like a rich boozey Tiramisu of a beer, chocolate, coffee, divine.

90 minute Imperial IPA (Dogfish) 9%Abv

Pours a rather unassuming caramel brown, unleashes a beautifully sweet smell, liked treacle and melted muscovado sugar.

It hits the tongue like a car crash, a speeding muscle car of sweet malt, big caramel, and an almost lemon sharpness. Like an explosion it then engulfs every corner of the mouth, like a rich barleywine, it's clear this beer is potent. Like Rum soaked sweet raisins this beer is rich and warming.

The finished is not a hell hopped IPA (they boast about dry hopping through out), no big dry hop smells or pine notes. It's sutbly bitter, but not enough to even attempt to compete with the rich boozey malt.

9/10 A rich, boozey malt epic. Potent, yet dangerously drinkable,

60 minute IPA (Dogfish) 6%Abv

Hand delivered by a friend from the US, this is a beer of some repute. Continually hopped over a 60minute period to create a "session IPA"

Pops open with a gentle fizz, pours beautifully clear a golden Amber. The aroma is not overwhelming, but clear notes of sweet oranges and piney hop stand out.

The malt is rather light, a clean sweet taste that doesn't dominate. It leads to a surprising biscuity middle, rather reminiscent of some English ales, Wadworth etc. The finish is a full blown hop blast, but with as much diversity as depth, grassy notes, hints of oak, more biscuit, and a bitterness that resonates to a wonderful dry finish. The brewery compare it to a Chardonnay, and in a strange way I am really compelled to agree with them.

7/10 A very drinkable session IPA, biscuity, balanced with some lovely diverse flavours.

Bunker Summit no. 1

Last night saw a marvellous evening's tasting over at Ed's house, Bunker HQ, in the charming village of Ringwood.

As well as the commandant's fine home made pizza (home grown vegetables and self cured ham!) a tidy range of ales were sampled which I think I can recall in order and attribute a vague personal Bunker rating to:

Postman's Knock (Hobson's) - a beautiful treacle ruby from Staffordshire (8)

Bootlegger (Independence) - A facsimile of a sturdy northern UK brown ale, not bad (6)

Boondoggle (Ringwood) - A summery Ringwood ale that sits quite well in a bottle (7)

90 Min IPA (Dogfish Head) - Delicious and strong, a wonderful US IPA in a Belgian style (9)

Raison d'Etre (Dogfish Head) - US, raisiny and lush. Lovely texture and pour (8)

Kingfisher (United) - Nice fresh lager to have with the pizza! (lager/unrated)

Great Bustard (Stonehenge) - A fine hearty ale, malty and rich (8)

Hobgoblin (Wychwood) - Chocolatey and involving. Good enough for a President. (7)

Old Engine Oil (Harvestoun) - I loved this. Syrupy, viscous and black as the devil's heart. (8)

Ola Dubh (Harvestoun) - Amazing. A christmas pudding of an ale. Sumptuous, luxuriating and rewarding (9)

I think that was it. Things got slightly fuzzy....

- The Broadside

Raison D'Etre (Dogfish Head)

Deep copper in colour, pours with a lovely yellow foamy head. Smells like burnt muscovado sugar.

Its a full on taste of sweet raisins and molasses, lingering to treacle finish. Not overly sweet but certainly limited in its bitterness. Hints of gentle spices, mask a very well disguised 8% beer.

7/10 Something different, bordering on speciality, very raisiny.